Ranked-choice voting hurts democratic process

Tools

San Francisco democracy needs to bring back legitimacy to the electoral process by eliminating ranked choice. The runoff system guarantees that those elected would always have the endorsement of the majority of the voters. In a runoff election, voters do not need further clarification, as Supervisor Scott Wiener pointed out.

Saving money with a system detrimental to democracy seems important to many progressives like Supervisor John Avalos. They are in favor of derailing the proposal to eliminate ranked-choice voting. Maybe they would even prefer to get rid of the Board of Supervisors and let the mayor rule by decree without objections?

Antonio Urbina, San Francisco

Send Jon Corzine to jail

Bernie Madoff promised eager investors more than he could deliver. When the bubble finally broke, he admitted that he is a fraud. Jon Corzine testified to Congress that he “has no idea where $1.3 billion went.” Corzine was the CEO of MF Global, a brokerage firm that handled millions in client money. Rumors allege they gambled on risky foreign investments that failed. Madoff will never see freedom again. Does anyone think Corzine will go to prison? This almost makes you want to apologize to Madoff.

Keith C. De Filippis, San Jose

Unbiased facts needed

A recent letter wanted the new SF Examiner to “change its style and be more reflective of the ideas of San Francisco,” whatever that means. Does it mean bending facts to suit a particular agenda, or does it mean putting out the facts and letting the readership decide what is right for their city?

I am always dubious of people who believe they know what others want and what they deserve. To me, a newspaper’s job is to present facts in an unbiased, responsible manner absent of an ax to grind, and hopefully Todd Vogt has the knowledge, experience and common sense for this honored position; until he shows this, I will doubt his intentions.

Theodore Carl Soderberg, San Francisco

City’s troubling ideology

San Francisco Examiner President Todd Vogt responded well to the letters inquiring about the “position” of the newspaper. This could be difficult when addressing the ideology of The City, an ideology harboring the mistaken belief that “quotas mean democracy.”

It is an ideology that promotes division and class warfare in the guise of diversity. And it is causing so many good families and small businesses to leave The City in droves. Shall our “city leaders” embrace equal rights for all in a merit-based society, or preferential treatment on the basis of race?

Philip Melnick, San Francisco

Socialism is wrong answer

A recent letter recommended bringing our Constitution in line with the Scandinavian model. He rejected calling this socialism. I suggest that when we allow the state to grant our freedoms, we struggle for freedom. Individual choice and opportunity fall by the wayside. The result is that we lose the self-fulfillment that is possible only through self-achievement.

Old Europe picks at the carcass of what wasn’t conserved. Presently it is in the throes of demographic suicide. This is hardly the model for meaningful life.